Do not interrupt me. No exceptions. Well, except maybe for this.

A few years ago, while looking for a job, I finally landed a phone interview. The one and only rule I had for my kids during this phone interview was: Do not interrupt me. No exceptions.

As I was speaking with the lady and trying to sound very "business" like and less "been-out-of-work-home-with-kids-for-too-long-frazzled-mom" like, my son poked his head into the room and I quickly gave him a "shhhh" and indicated I would be another two minutes until I could get off the phone. He quietly closed the door so I figured everything was fine and continued on with my conversation.

A few minutes later my son was back and I was getting a little annoyed. "What could possibly be so important that he keeps interrupting my call???"

He quietly handed me a note and then quickly left the room. I glanced at the note and then had to read it again to make sure I read what he wrote.

On his note he had written:

Mom. The tree out front is on fire!!! And so is the grass!!! Some kids had matches and they lit some paper on fire and now the fire is getting bigger. Sorry to bug you.

I quickly explained to the lady that I had to go as our grass was on fire and hung up. We called 911 and once the fire was out, I asked my son how long he had waited to tell me and asked why he took so long. He said, "Well, I was going to tell you right away, but you said not to interrupt you so I waited as long as I could. I tried to tell you once, but you told me to come back in two minutes-so I did."

Parents, take note, if you tell your kids not to bother you for a few minutes, make sure they know it is ok to bother you if anything is on fire, there is blood, or bones are broken. Just a reminder.

2010 Cindy Breninger

How Many Cookies???

Yesterday my son called me at work to tell me some "very exciting" news that just couldn't wait until I got home. "Hey Mom, guess what? I used my allowance and bought 10 boxes of Girl Scout cookies! I had enough money and bought 10 boxes!"

Stunned into silence for a moment at the thought of 10 boxes of cookies, I replied, "You spent your money on 10 boxes of cookies? Why didn't you wait until I got home to ask me first?"

Silence on his end of the line....and then he said, "Well, if I had waited to ask you first, I don't think I would have 10 boxes of cookies, do you?"

Good point.

2010 Cindy Breninger